greyhawkplusfandomcom-20200214-history
Humans, Suloise
The Suel have the lightest coloration of any known human race of the Flanaess. Their skin is fair, with an atypical proportion of albinos. Eye color is pale blue or violet, sometimes deep blue or gray. Suel hair is wiry, often curly or kinky, with fair colors such as yellow, light red, blond, and platinum blond. The Suel tend to be lean, with narrow facial features. The Suel Imperium was located in what is now the Sea of Dust. Wicked and decadent, this empire was destroyed during a war with the Baklunish when the latter brought down the Rain of Colorless Fire, Suloise survivors fled in all directions, many crossing the Hellfurnaces into the Flanaess, where they met other Suel who had fled the long war much earlier. Some evil Suel were forced into the extreme corners of the Flanaess by invading Oeridians. The barbarians of the Thillonrian peninsula are pure Suel, as are the elite of The Scarlet Brotherhood. The people of the Duchy of Urnst and places in the Lordship of the Isles are nearly so. The Suel Imperium was governed by contesting noble houses, and the fleeing bands that entered the Flanaess were often led by nobles with their families and many retainers. The modern Suel retain this affinity for family, although they often use a very narrow definition of the word to include only siblings, parents, and children. A few Suel can trace their lineage all the way back to the days of their empire. The ancient Suel Imperium was exceedingly cruel. This trait surfaces in the modern day, for more than one Suel organization openly plots against other people of the Flanaess. Fortunately, most Suel have avoided t his dark legacy, having inherited the relatively minor flaws of being opinionated, selfish, and blunt. Many also tend to be prideful and unwilling to admit flaws or personal hardships. They have a passion for study, especially in regard to magic, and many Suel wizards become incredibly powerful. Traditional Suel dress includes wide-legged pantaloons and loose blouses (vests in the south), both in solid colors. Most individuals use one color only, with nobles using two or more as appropriate to their House. The style of clothing is adapted to the climate; Suel in the far north wear furs or thick wool, with capes, mittens, and furred boots. The Suel like large pins, brooches, emblems, and other adornments, a few of which are ancient heirlooms. Heirs of a highly magical society, the Suel still have an aptitude for most types of spellcasting. Suel wizards often become masters of spells that involve transmutation. They also perfected a number of binding spells and created many items used for controlling and dominating other beings. For instance, it is thought that a long-dead Suel emperor made the ancient and terrible orbs of dragonkind. Psihawks Psihawks are an artificially bred offshoot of Suloise humans. They originate from the Scarlet Brotherhood where they are cruelly treated as a subhuman class, actually considered to be lower than hounds specifically because of their human nature. Psihawks are almost always albino as a result of being possibly the purest Suloise stock in existence on Greyhawk mixed with psionic and alchemical augmentation. Their eyes are a crystal clear blue, but appear violet or purple due to the red glow which constantly emanates from them. They have long faces with aquiline noses, thick eyebrows which naturally tuft and spike to give the impression of stiff feathers, and thick, straight, stiff hair. Though the Scarlet Brotherhood treats psihawks cruelly, they do instruct them in basic skills, including reading and simple maths, and they are taught a large vocabularly simple as a result of the Scarlet Brotherhood's own propensity for the same. They are nurtured to have wild, violent meins, however, so that when ordered to attack the psions they are bred to hunt they will do so without hesitation. Psihawks are hardly known outside the Scarlet Brotherhood. Those precious few who escape their inhuman treatment adjust to free life with little difficulty, and few symptoms beyond a deep seated paranoia and suspicion--which are well justified as the Brotherhood does hunt escaped psihawks. Their quick adjustment to free life means that most people are completely unaware of their histories, and think them simply strange looking Suloise. Psihawks have the ability to detect psionics naturally, and unless rescued at a very young age, will possess at least one level of Soulknife and the Two Weapon Fighting feats. A psihawk's mind blade naturally manifests as either talon-like claws on each hand, or, when more experienced and powerful, feather-like blades extending from the backs of their hands and halfway down their forearms.